Survey a smoking gun for Midland's cigarette addiction

Audrie PalmerMidland Reporter-Telegram

Published 3:00 pm, Monday, January 10, 2011

Midland County has a larger percentage of smokers than some metropolitan areas across the state -- including Dallas, Fort Worth and San Antonio -- and Midland Coalition is looking at possibly proposing a new city ordinance that would provide residents a more smoke-free environment.

According to a recent study by the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System through the website countyhealthrankings.org, 22 percent of Midland residents reportedly smoke, tying with Ector County and making the area one of the highest in the Permian Basin.

Liberty County, which is within the Houston-Sugar Land-Baytown metropolitan area, was reported to have the highest percentage in the state, with 37 percent of its population admitting to smoking.

Midland Coalition is looking to help cut down those numbers and to provide counseling and aid to people who want to stop smoking.

"We're not against smokers here at PDAP (Palmer Drug Abuse Program), but we know that you're much healthier if you don't smoke," said coalition coordinator Dale Seago.

The coalition is looking to form a support group for those who want to to quit smoking by providing them with resources.

The state also offers a toll-free hotline (1-877-YES-QUIT) where smokers can be set up with free nicotine replacement therapy such gum, lozenges and patches to help break the habit.

Seago said he believes the average age of those who get involved with smoking is around 12 to 13 years old.

"That's awfully young. Once you get started, it's hard to quit either the smokeless or smoking tobacco, in general," he said.

A national study by the website smokefree.gov ranked Texas 27th with the highest number of smokers.

Another way the coalition is looking to help cut down on smoking is to try to get an ordinance passed across the city similar to what San Angelo recently allowed.

Currently, smoking is prohibited in San Angelo in all public places such as bars, restaurants, education facilities, sports arenas and public transportation, Seago said.

At the organization's monthly meeting, planned for 11:30 a.m. Wednesday at PDAP, 1208 W. Wall St., the group is set to discuss possibly proposing a similar ordinance in Midland.

"There are people who are not cognizant of other people who have respiratory problems," Seago said. " Everyone should have the right to breathe clean air."

When contacted, Midland Mayor Wes Perry said it was the first he had heard about talks of the proposed ordinance and could not give a comment about it.

City Council member Jerry Morales said that as a member of the restaurant association and as a restaurateur, it's something that statewide is coming to fruition. But with other members of the association, including owners of bars, clubs and bowling alleys, he believes the ordinance, if proposed and passed, will affect their businesses. He thinks that it should be up to the business owner.

As far as his standpoint from serving on the City Council, he said he thinks that not smoking is healthier and cleaner and adds to one's quality of life.

"But I would not want to be in a position again to tell a business owner how to run his business," he said.

For more information or to contact the Midland Coalition about enrolling in the quit smoking class, call 685-3645.